NEVER STOP EXPLORING

When you see or hear the name The North Face, there is only one word that will match or synonymous to it. That word is hiking or mountaineering.

I was looking for a pair of decent hiking shoes after I had real pain all over my legs and toes for wearing my normal jogging shoes for the previous hiking trip. I was aiming at Columbia, browsing through other brands like Hi-Tec, Merrell, Timberland, Teva, Salomon, New Balance and Asics for a couple of weeks. I decided I should go for Columbia since they are a lot cheaper than brands like Timberland. I guess Columbia and Timberland have the most models available in Singapore with Hi-Tec and Salomon coming next.

Well, I had everything well researched, including the pricing of targeted possible models. I went to Queensway during my lunch break and to my shocking horror, they were having stock taking. Who goes for stock taking during lunch breaks? #%$^%*&((*))_!! I asked them how long will it take, they replied at least until 3pm. Just great!

I thought I don't want to return the other day so I went to look around for other possible brands. Merrell has nice designs but I am unconvinced of their suction like base. I know about The North Face but I never expected to find quite a number of choices available. My eyes quickly caught on the Hedgehog GTX XCR because of the nice colour combo and of its light weight. The hedgehog got the name for the structures below the shoes. It did look convincing to me as having a strong and tough grip for the rocks and earth. However, they didn't have my size. I ended up buying the mid version, which is like basketball shoes. I also don't like the colour which is so Timberland. Well, what to do, my priority is quality first, aesthetics second. I also bought one for Lee Ling with just two decent choices available.

I believe The North Face does have some interesting designs and colour combo which normal hiking shoes do not have. Well, the built quality looks good and it looks tough. I know The North Face is the famous brand when it comes to hiking so I believe I should give it a chance.

We'll see how these two shoes will perform when we bring them out for a hike! How will our legs be after wearing them out for the trip? Stay tuned.

WOMEN'S STRIVE
Q-SILVER GREY / TOFINO BLUE
USD$65



















MEN'S HEDGEHOG GTX® XCR
CHARCOAL GREY / SAGE GREEN
USD$110.00

MEN'S HEDGEHOG MID GTX® XCR
CLASSIC KHAKI / WHEAT-T
USD$115.00 - $120.00



























THE NORTH FACE STORY

40 Years of Innovation and Exploration

We are named for the coldest, most unforgiving side of a mountain. We have helped explorers reach the most unfathomable heights of the Himalayas. But The North Face legend begins, ironically, on a beach. More precisely, San Francisco's North Beach neighborhood, at an altitude of only 150 feet above sea level. It was here in 1966 that two hiking enthusiasts resolved to follow their passions and founded a small mountaineering retail store.

Soon thereafter, that little shop became known as The North Face, a retailer of high-performance climbing and backpacking equipment. In 1968, The North Face moved to the other side of San Francisco Bay, to the unbridled possibilities of the Berkeley area, and began designing and manufacturing its own brand of technical mountaineering apparel and equipment.

Through the 1970s, The North Face brand cherished a following amongst avid outdoor athletes and began sponsoring expeditions to some of the most far-flung, still largely untouched corners of the globe. This launched a proud tradition which continues in full force today and constantly reinforces The North Face mantra, Never Stop Exploring™.

By the early 1980s, The North Face was taking exploration to the outer limits of the ski world, adding extreme skiwear to the product offering. These were the days of pastels, neons, hair dye, and mohawks; they laid the groundwork for today's free-spirited snowsports athletes. By the end of the decade, The North Face became the only supplier in the United States to offer a comprehensive collection of high-performance outerwear, skiwear, sleeping bags, packs and tents.

The 1990s ushered in an era during which The North Face further broadened the outdoor world it helps athletes to explore. The decade saw our debut in the sportswear market with the launch of Tekware™, an innovative collection designed to provide rock climbers, backpackers, hikers, trail runners, and outdoor enthusiasts with the ultimate fit and function. The North Face half dome logo began to appear with greater regularity on ultramarathon courses, high-country trails, and big walls. And, as the calendar clicked toward a new millennium, The North Face launched its own line of trekking and trail-running shoes to ultimately address the head-to-toe needs of those always striving for the next horizon.

Now, more than 40 years after its humble grand opening, The North Face delivers an extensive line of performance apparel, equipment, and footwear. We push the boundaries of innovation so that you can push the boundaries of exploration. We remain deeply proud to be the first choice of the world's most accomplished climbers, mountaineers, extreme skiers, snowboarders, endurance runners, and explorers.

There's little telling what the next 40 years hold for us. However, there is one bedrock certainty: The North Face will maintain an unwavering commitment to pushing the limits of design, so that you can push your limits outdoors. Never Stop Exploring.